Chapter 158: First Arrival in the Upper Realm

When chaos first split and creation began, the very first ray of sunlight shone down upon this void and barren land.

Life sprang forth and, over the course of a hundred thousand years, the landscape slowly formed into what is now the Upper Sword Qi Continent.

After another fifty thousand years, the first humans appeared—ancestors of the Human Race in all realms, originating on this very land.

Through constant evolution, that first generation of humans began to pursue cultivation, seeking to become immortals and gods, hoping to rise above the river of time.

They wanted to walk alongside the Dao, etching their names into eternity.

Those early human cultivators paved the Divine Path, and—together with the gods—crafted a divine realm known as the Sword God Domain atop the Sword Qi Continent.

With the Sword God Domain as the foundation, countless minor worlds took shape across the myriad realms. The Upper Sword Qi Continent became the central transit hub for them all.

It became both a land of descent and a place that welcomed the gods.

But now, the Upper Sword Qi Continent—supposedly the heart of it all—is shrouded in darkness, blanketed by void and swallowed by night. Not a single ray of sunlight pierces through.

Meanwhile, the Sword Qi Continent of the lower realm, the lifeblood of this entire domain, was unexpectedly lost and banished to some remote edge of existence.

Yet now, with Gu Qingyi’s slaying of the Will of Heaven, that lost continent has returned to the Upper Sword Qi Continent, restoring what was once missing.

……………………………………

Gu Qingyi and the others slowly opened their eyes, blinking in a haze as they took in the endless darkness around them.

Confusion filled their hearts—they stared wide-eyed at each other, struggling to make sense of a world that seemed shackled in countless chains.

Only about fifty thousand people had ascended from the lower Sword Qi Continent, far fewer than anyone hoped.

Now this scattered group huddled together, trading glances—no one could decipher the mysteries before them.

The Upper Sword Qi Continent was totally unfamiliar—a place brimming with unknown dangers and uncertainties.

Just as everyone grew more baffled, a shadow took shape in the darkness ahead like a figure stepping through mist.

“Fellow travelers from afar, I’ve been waiting here for quite a long time!” the shadowy figure called out.

Gu Qingxiao frowned. “Who are you? And where exactly is this place?”

The figure gave a mild smile. “Have you all forgotten already? This is the Upper Sword Qi Continent! Your minor world has ascended. How do you not realize this?”

“Stop playing games. Show yourself!” Gu Qingyi shouted and unleashed a sword strike.

The figure calmly raised a flag and effortlessly deflected Gu Qingyi’s attack.

“There’s no need to get angry. Can’t we just have a friendly chat? It’s been ages since I’ve seen anyone, and honestly, I’m a little bored.”

After speaking, the figure stepped forward under everyone’s gaze.

He had flowing hair and wore a long black robe, tall and graceful, with a face as handsome as carved jade. In his hand was a banner swirling with black energy.

He approached wearing a bright smile.

“Greetings, everyone,” he said with a grin. “I’m Zhuge Xingyun, the guide for all ascended forces from the lower realm!”

Xuyan frowned. “What do you mean by guide? And what’s with that thing in your hand? Why is it oozing black smoke? Looks downright creepy.”

“Oh this? Just a treasure I picked up somewhere. People call it the Ten Thousand Souls Banner.” Zhuge Xingyun waved the sinister banner.

“But I wonder—would any of you care to come visit inside my Ten Thousand Souls Banner?”

The smile vanished from Zhuge Xingyun’s face. With the banner in hand, he lunged forward like a phantom straight at the group.

Gu Qingyi’s expression darkened. “Looking for trouble, are you?”

He gripped the Skydome Sword, the wheel at his back spinning rapidly as divine power surged and blasted straight at Zhuge Xingyun’s face.

Bang—

Zhuge Xingyun deflected the attack with a lazy flick of the Ten Thousand Souls Banner, a smirk curling at his lips.

“Not bad for someone from the lower realm! My banner happens to be missing a main soul—how about you come join? With your help, I’d be even stronger!”

“Arrogant fool. Beat me first if you want to try!”

“Fine. Let me see just how strong you are!” Zhuge Xingyun grabbed hold of the Ten Thousand Souls Banner with both hands.

In a flash, the two clashed—their weapons colliding, shockwaves rattling the very air.

The others tried to step in, but there was no way for them to interfere in a fight like this.

“Host, let me help!” Xuyan strode through the air with a spear in hand.

Gu Qingyi spotted Xuyan and fired off a palm strike, shoving Zhuge Xingyun back.

Gu Qingyi gave a slight smile. “Stand back. I can handle him alone.”

Xuyan frowned. “Huh? Wouldn’t we be stronger together? With both of us, we could take him down in no time!”

“Back down. I want to see just how the Upper Realm fights!” Gu Qingyi shot Xuyan a glance.

“Fine, whatever makes you happy.” Xuyan sighed and retreated.

Zhuge Xingyun suddenly burst out laughing. “Ha! You really play by the rules! Now I want you as my main soul even more!”

“If you think you can, come and try! Enough talk—fight me!” Gu Qingyi spun his arm.

The two launched at each other again, their battle tearing away the darkness and pushing back the void until the black shroud began to break.

……………………………………

As darkness receded, the land finally appeared in its true form. The place where the Lower Sword Qi Continent had merged was actually the outer fringes of the Upper Sword Qi Continent.

Beyond the continent lay the void of the universe, and this borderland now became the first line of defense against outside threats. With its return, the ancient chains shattered in an instant.

Restored once again, this land appeared anew in the vast void of the universe.

A booming sound echoed through the air, making everyone below clasp their ears, desperate to block it out.

A moment later, the noise faded. All went quiet—nothing else happened.

With the continent reborn in the void, all divine cultivators throughout the realms could now use the transit hub to reach the Sword God Domain.

Of course, anyone who ascended—whether gods from the lower realm or affiliated factions attached to their lands—would have to begin their cultivation anew.

Only after passing the Divine Path trial could they ascend into the Sword God Domain. There were no restrictions on bringing families or followers.

……………………………………

After exchanging a single blow, the two quickly separated.

Gu Qingyi blinked in confusion. “What was that noise just now? And where did all those chains go?”

Zhuge Xingyun eyed the puzzled Gu Qingyi and put away the Ten Thousand Souls Banner, breaking into laughter.

“Don’t you get it? This continent has reappeared—it’s a massive opportunity!”

“Immortality is just a fleeting dream. What true cultivators long for is to rise as the one and only Eternal Sword God!”

“What does it mean to be eternal? It means reigning above the river of time and the Dao itself—transcending all rules, even this entire cosmos!”

“To become the unrivaled supreme deity above all worlds—the Eternal Sword God!”

“Of course, everything we see now and all the realms out there were casually created by the previous Eternal Sword God. But rumor has it that this god has already reincarnated.”

“So the seat of eternity is now vacant. Don’t you think that’s the biggest stroke of luck anyone could hope for?”

“But as for me—I’m just a low-ranked Sword God, not even fit to dream of such heights!”

With a sweeping motion of the Ten Thousand Souls Banner, Zhuge Xingyun fixed Gu Qingyi with a half-smile as a black wheel appeared behind him.

【Sword Qi Continent Cultivation Realms: Sword Practitioner Realm, Sword Qi Realm, Sword Sea Realm, Sword King Realm, Sword Emperor Realm, Sword Saint Realm—each realm has nine levels】

【Sword God, Peerless Sword God, Jade Sword God, Radiant Sword God—divided into lower, middle, and upper tiers】

【Eternal Sword God: A creator god above all else—the origin of all things】